Smiles to a Brighter Past
by PandaMuffin123
Summary: Linda was...confused...to say the least. To get it strait, she shared a room with three boys in an orphange that trains gifted children to be elite detectives? insane! surreal! it's...it's......kinda cool.
1. Chocolate

AN…

AN…

Umm…this is my first story! It's about wammy's house!

Lyza vermullin looked out the window of an orphanige called wammy's house. She just

gotten there from her home town in germany. She let out a board sigh. Why the hell she

shared a room with 2 boys she'd never understand, even if it was the only room

available! They told her another boy would be arriving shortly after her, Nate River?

Yeah, that was it, cool name! Her thoughts were interrupted as she saw the wammy

Mobile pull up! (what? They had a contest or something) She gave a wide smirk and

Leaped from her seat. Origianally she was headed to greet the boy who would get out of

the car, but ran into two boys…her first two roommates.

"sorry, Linda! Our room is a mess! Please be a little more careful- "

the boy with red hair and goggles was interrupted by a boy with long blonde hair yelling

something in Russian. She knew 30 different languages, Russian being one. That boy

should really watch his mouth! But instead of telling him that she gave him a taste of his

own medicine and cussed him out in german, her first language. Then turned to the boy

with goggles known as matt.

"My name is Lyza"

Matt was always having trouble with that!

"god, sorry Lyza…may I just call you Linda?"

"sure, no problem…and tell that guy to watch his mouth!"

she ran out of the room at full speed trying to catch nate before he walked in. The boy

with blonde hair said after Lyza was out of ear shot

"heh…you're terrible! You would have pushed her down yourself, if she wasn't cute!"

matt blushed a little at his friend's comment. He was right she was cute.

Lyza ran down the hallway to the stairs.

'ugh…I hate stares' she thought. She jumped the first 3 steps that went to the right and

slid down the rest that lead south tawords the door.

She shot outside at full speed stopping herself before colliding with nate.

"you're nate right? Well…of course you are! I'm glad you're here so I don't have to be new all by myself!"

"…"

lyza sighed and took his bags from roger.

"I guess you don't have to talk…now! But I have a feeling we'll end up best friends!"

nate examined her. Odd clothes. A short-sleeve orange shirt that stopped at her rib cage

with a purple an white long sleeve shirt underneath. She wore black jeans and despite the

fact it was December and there was snow on the ground…no jacket. No shoes. No socks.

But by her attire she must have come from a fairly rich family who could have easily

given her these things. And then it hit him that she must have come from a family that

hated her. Near wanted children when he grew up and he defiantly wouldn't deprive them

shoes, jackets, socks. Especially if he was rich, that would just be inhumane!

They had made it up the stares and down the hall almost to his room when lyza said

"I know 30 different languages…what do you speak? I take it the reason you're not responding is because you don't understand English, correct?"

"no I know English just fine"

"okay, then"

she smiled at him as they came to a room.

"this is our room, buddy!"

he turned to her

"our room?"

"uhh…yeah! It's the only room available at the moment. Roger is just hoping matt and mello are responsible enough to handle sharing a room with a girl. Roger has his doubts, 'cause these are the 2 worst trouble makers at wammy's. he told me to be careful of pranks and things they'll pull. Uhh…"

she paused

"he also said there might be…trouble…when they get older, but I'm not scared of much and it would probably thake a genius 2 years to figure out my worst fear!"

"trouble…whadda you mean?"

"you know, stuff guys do to girls when they…"

her voice trailed off and she blushed

"never mind!"

"oh"

he blushed too. He understood.

They walked into a room with only one vacant bed and nate climbed up to it. Two bunk

Beds on each side of the room. In the corner where nates bed was, three video game

systems, like…ten controllers. On the floor were video game magazines, chocolate

wrappers, tons of clothes! Lyza climbed up to her bunk. The to bunk opposite of near.

"hn…smells like chocolate, huh, nate?


	2. rats

An

**An.**

**My apologies for being so late with this, I'm just not doing so hot trying to figure stuff out. I'm not even completely sure how to upload chapters and to be honest, getting the last chapter up was an accident…I hope I can get this one up. **

**Anyway, I'd like to thank cakeface-sempai for helping me out BIG time. I honestly couldn't have done it without her.**

**I'd also like to apologize for how suckish my last chapter was, but as I said, it wasn't exactly supposed to be put up, so…**

**I've got a lot on my mind right now and the pre-writing part of this fic is done, so I began pre-writing the sequel to this…it's a lot better in my opinion than this fic is but I'm kinda stuck…heh heh…sorry for rambling.**

**Berry-Chan**

Suddenly mello stormed in the room dragging matt by the collar of his shirt. Matt pulled away from his friend's grip, in the attempt not to look like a slave or something in front of Linda. Matt sat down on his bed.

"h-hi…Linda" matt said blushing slightly. He pushed some of his hair back from his face, trying to look cool.

Linda giggled. Not in a flirty way, but because he looked like such a desperate idiot.

"Umm…excuse me." Near said in a barley audible tone "but I thought her name was lyza"

"AHH…HOLY CRAP!" matt fell off his bed. That had completely scared him to death. Who the hell was talking? Matt looked up at the bed where near was sitting in his usual one-leg-up style.

Mello burst into laughter.

"See, matt. I told if you kept all those chips under your bed, a rat would move in with us!"

Near put his hand to his head and pulled down a strand of his hair. Then, in a trailing off soft whisper more to himself, he said

"I don't look like a rat…"

Linda's thoughts snapped back to today, pushing the events that happened yesterday back into its place. She sat quietly watching the boy with white hair skillfully balancing dice on each other, attempting to construct a model of their pity prison, wammy's house.

They were waiting for the man…well…or woman…known as L. When the two of them had been told L had wanted to meet them, they were flattered. mello had assured it wasn't a big deal, and not to flatter themselves, it happened to every new kid.

They were still flattered.

Near suddenly stood up.

"I need a few more dice, Linda. I'll be back soon."

And he left.

Mello kicked his innocent nightstand in complete fury.

"this **can't** be happening!"

Mello checked the lists of classes he had been told to hand to Linda and near again. Nope. Still there.

"well…maybe…karma is punishing you for peeking at their class schedules."

"Are you kidding? Karma?"

Mello walked over to matt's bed where he was playing yoshi's island and slapped him in the back of the head.

"That's gotta be the most retarded thing you've ever said!"

Matt rubbed the back of his aching head. Mello hit hard.

The deal was that Linda and near, two little kids, two years younger than him…**were in the same class!!**

"W-well…I don't see how you can make such a big deal out of this. I mean…it's not unusual for about the top 7 to all be in the same class…we're in order from 1-4 and they almost always are in the same class. Besides they're nice…near so quiet and he can't possibly be a threat to your top ranking. Linda is…nice too."

Mello spun around from his pacing.

"What are you talking about, him not being a threat? He already knocked you out of 2nd! What's with you and Linda anyway-…you **like** her!"

He burst into laughter again.

"Man…I was joking before but…"

"n-no! I- I just think…she's pretty…is all…"

He blushed a shade of pink he had no idea existed.

Mello sighed. Why the hell would anyone want to like a girl? Why couldn't there just be boys on the earth? What were girls even used for? Why was he asking himself questions he didn't know the answer to? He had been told one that girls were from Venus. Maybe they were supposed to keep alliances between earth and Venus solid.

Just then, near came in.

Amazingly, like he knew what mello was thinking, he said simply

"Girls carry babies around in their tummy, and get moody and stuff, and become mommies."

Mello rolled his eyes. That much he knew from when his little sister was born, what he really wanted to know was how a baby could get into a girls tummy.

"Oh yeah? Well I bet you know how a baby could get in there, too, huh?"

"I do"

Mello was angry and interested too.

"Tell me!"

Near sighed and looked up from the drawer he attempted to find dice in.

"are you sure you wanna know?'

Mello was getting impatient.

"Yes, yes…just **tell me!**"

He climbed down from his bed with his dice in hand. He walked over to him, stood on his toes, cupped mello's ear in his own small hand and whispered the explanation in his ear.

Mello jerked back when near was done.

"HOLY SHIT, THAT"S DISGUSTING!!"

Seemingly unphased, near scuttled out of the room.

"What did he say?"

Mello's eye twitched slightly and her got down on all fours to look under his bed for something.

"N-nothing."

Mello pulled out a hair brush with a few auburn hairs standing out around the blonde.

"Matt…did you use my hair brush?"

"no." matt lied.

Linda.

"Ugh…stupid girl…get your own hairbrush!"

And he stormed out of the room to find Linda.

"Hey near?" Linda asked as near finished his model.

"Can I…destroy it?"

Near looked up at her.

"Why not.

Linda stood up and kicked the bottom a little until the whole thing came down, without two of the dice being together.

"Yes…perfect!"

Just then, mello stormed in the room headed strait for Linda. He pushed near out of the way and grabbed the collar of Linda's shirt, bringing her so close it made their noses brush a bit.

"YOU USED MY HAIRBRUSH YOU STUPID IDIOT?!"

Linda blushed a bit at their faces being so close and calmly removed his hand from her shirt.

"No…I didn't, stupid."

"DON'T CALL ME STUPID"

"sheesh…do you wanna break my eardrum?"

Mello's temper was rising so high, while Linda smirked, a bit amused at his reaction.

Mello just couldn't take it any more. He pulled back his fist ready for a punch. To his surprise, Linda grabbed his fisted hand and twisted it hard and pulled it to his back, causing him to shriek out in pain. Suddenly she rammed the twisted arm into his back, making him fall to the floor. She straddled his hips keeping him down on the floor.

"You try to pull something like that again and the arm comes off."

She whispered to him, smiling evilly.

She let go of him and he immediately ran for the door and slammed it shut.

Near just stared. She looked bat him offering him a hand up, which he took, and stood on his own two feet ignoring the pain in his butt from the fall.

"Wow, Linda."

"heh…well…it's okay, I'm protective of my friends."

There was that word again.

"But I'll be in big trouble…I think L set up cameras around the room."

Was something so intelligent coming from **her **mouth?

That's when it hit near that if Linda tried, she could probably be number one at wammy's.

**AN.**

**Ugh…I suck at typing. I only type with one hand so now I'm sitting here with my one hand hurting. Do you guys have any idea how many times I failed typing class?**

**Anyway…all reviews are welcome. I hoped you enjoyed it!! **


	3. asking

AN

**AN.**

**Ugh…I hate using Microsoft...**

**I'll go ahead and tell you that this chapter doesn't have much of near…I think matt is only mentioned, but he may come up later. This chapter is about fights that Linda and mello are having.**

**This'll be interesting.**

**Berry-Chan**

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Come back here you stupid little…"

Linda flew threw the house as fast as her legs could carry her. Was mello seriously chasing after her again? What had she even done? Maybe he's still steamed about the hair brush. What was the big deal, any way?

"What is **wrong **with you?"

He seemed to get angrier.

"My problem is **you!** Sheesh…you call **me **stupid?"

"Yes!"

Mello had a look of pure 'what the hell-ness'

"okay, you know what you did? You put laxatives in my chocolate bowl last night when everyone was asleep didn't you!!"

Oops. She had. The insomniac always had trouble getting to sleep so she would generally have to stay up late and sleep it off during the day. She couldn't help it; it was so boring all alone! And at night, she wasn't allowed to go watch TV or go the library. (Which she didn't really like to begin with)The only thing she could really do was go down stairs and get the snack roger left out for her. The problem with that was that she usually went down there to find her snack had already been eaten by one of the other children. So…nothing to do. Pranks had just always been her forte.

'ah, roger, good enough.' She thought to herself running towards the old man that smelled like cheese.

"What the…!"

Roger exclaimed seeing the two heading towards him.

"Roger, roger, mello is trying to beat me with a toaster!"

She grabbed hold of his pant leg and tugged at it. Roger looked up to see mello toasterless.

He sighed. Childish games, they annoyed the hell out of him.

Roger grabbed the back of mello's shirt before he could reach Linda and pulled the boy in front of him.

"What are you two doin-…"

"Linda put laxatives in my chocolate…" he paused and got a look of pure terror on his face suddenly.

"**HOLY…"**

Mello clutched his stomach and started running around in seemingly random directions, trying to remember where the bathroom was. Suddenly remembering where in was, he took off past roger.

"Don't think that meant either of you two are off the hook, you both are still in trouble. You guys are coming to my office when he gets done."

He grabbed her arm non-to-gently and headed off to go find what bathroom mello was using.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I still don't get the point of it. Why would wammy's try and force social interaction."

Near said, twirling a lock of his snowy hair around his finger.

"Ugh…like I know, but as long as I don't have to go with mello…that guy is driving me nuts…"

He couldn't help wonder who he would end up going with. Linda would probably ask him to go as a friend and he would probably say yes…that is…if matt didn't get up the courage to ask her before then.

What were you even supposed to do at a mandatory dance?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mello threw a ball of raw hamburger meat at the confused Linda.

"Mello, what the schnitzel…**whoa!**" Linda said, dodging the meat that was hurled at her head.

"What does that even mean? It sounds like you're worshiping Hitler or something, dumb girl!"

She scowled.

"That was flat out racist, mello."

Mello smirked and clicked off a piece of his chocolate.

"Yeah…whatever…"

"Schnitzel is a food, dumb-ass"

He had a disgusted look on his face.

"That's gross, who would eat **anything **called 'schnitzel'…"

Linda picked a bowl of cookie batter the home-ec. class had set out for their use later and threw it at mello. She giggled. Mello stood there with a blank expression on his face and suddenly smiled almost laughing. He bought a finger up to his head and scraped some of the batter off and putting it into his mouth. He turned and slowly walked towards the fridge. He opened the door and took out a bowl of spaghetti they were supposed to have for dinner that night and threw it at Linda hitting her stomach.

Just to their luck, a fuming mad roger interrupted on their fun.

He grabbed them both by the wrist and yanked them towards his office, not saying a word until they got there.

He practically threw them into a chair and he sat down himself in his chair behind his desk and folded his hands across one-another in that way that meant that he was either dead serious or furious. He closed his eyes and sighed.

Mello and Linda looked at each other with worried looks that said 'you know he's got something big planned for us.'

Roger opened his eyes slowly and said in a voice shaky from trying to maintain his anger

"Alright. This feud between you two has gone on long enough and I won't stand for it any longer. I've tolerated it because Linda is new, but she's had enough time for sympathy and it's time to stop."

Linda and mello sat there not looking at roger, or each other, each fighting back tears.

"Look at me…"

They looked up with tears in the corners of their eyes. Mello sniffed, trying to do it softly so no one could notice, but was unsuccessful and finally just brushed his eye a bit.

Linda closed her eye tightly trying to relieve herself of the tear that was stuck.

"Stop crying…"

They looked at him trying to stop, but Roger's command made them finally start to ball their eyes out.

Roger sighed, sitting back in his chair. He knew from experience, all he could do was wait. This is why he hated kids. Whiny brats and all they do is make messes and scream and yell and be annoying.

Once they had finally calmed down to sniffs and shaky breaths roger began to talk.

"Now, listen to me, you two. You can't do these things and not expect some kind of consequence. The consequence is …I don't care who you've asked, been asked by, or if you've done either, but I think you two should go to that dance together."

They looked up not saying anything and nodded. They weren't going to protest him, but they were probably going to hear it from each other later. well…mello might as well get it out.

"Are we clear?"

"b-but…"

Mello stuttered, trying not to burst into tears again.

"I-I hate Linda…"

Roger sighed.

'Yeah, and at your age, it's pretty much a confession of love.' He thought to himself.

"Are we clear?"

Mello was about to say something when Linda said…

"Yes, sir"

Mello sat there in silent shock, looking over Linda. Linda? Had he heard correct? Linda had just given up? How could stupid-butt, roger, have so much power over someone like Linda? Why did she act like that around adults? Why was every one asking themselves so many questions?

"Good girl"

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

**AN.**

**So there you have it. If you didn't figure this out, the food fight took place in the kitchen…**

**Hope you enjoyed it, I find this chapter much better than the other two.**

**Don't forget to comment!!**


	4. handcuffs

I have to tell you guys this…

**I have to tell you guys this…**

**So, I was watching the flinstones the other day and saw pebbles and bam-bam. I thought…"holy crap, it's near and linda!"**

**Just something to think about.**

**Ugh…I feel like this chapter is outrageously long even though it's not. Probably because it took a few days to complete, while I usually finish up the chapter in a day.**

**Now, enjoy the long anticipated dance chapter.**

**Berry-chan**

………………………………………………………………………………………………

near was scared. Linda hadn't said much of anything that day, and right now, she was just laying on her bed with her head in ner pillow. He had to cheer her up.

"so…he's forcing you to go with mello, and the day has come, huh?" near asked tracing the curves and hills of his bed with a small toy car.

"yeah…"

she was totally miserable today.

Linda sighed. 3 hours, 14 minutes, and 32 seconds until her worst day ever started.

"you know near, you should ask some one too. I hear sandy thinks you're cute."

Near stopped his car for a second. Sandy? Eww, hell no. He would rather go alone or with linda than with a some other girl. She would just cling to him and giggle and be a pain.

"it's no big deal. Why don't you just slit from mello and come hang out with me?

She had thought about that. Even though she was sure people were going to do that with people they wanted to go with, she had this gut feeling that it wouldn't work with her and mello. She didn't know why, he would probably try that with her, too. It just wouldn't work.

Near stared at her.

"linda?"

linda smiled.. She picked up a pillow and threw it at his head.

"it's not polite to stare, you know."

"what's wrong?"

near didn"t know how linda did it, but even near couldn't deny that they were becoming very fast friends. He thought she was completely nuts at first. Declaring her friendship before he knew her. How strange, but over time, it was like she had it planed since the day she was born how to become his friend. He couldn't exactly tell you why, but he fel conserned how she felt. Like now.

Linda sighed.

"I **really **don't wanna do this"

near sighed now.

He didn't exactly like mello either. Or more, mello didn't like him. It was just like…a competitive difference that stood in the way of their friendship. But something about linda and mello was different. Near had seen himself how bad things could get between them. That fist-fight mello had tried to start…and how horribly linda ended it. The laxitives were bad, mello was screaming more in pain than in anger. He had seen the reault of the food fight, too. When he first saw linda covered in spaghetti, he honestly thought it was blood. Near could understand why linda didn't want to do this.

Things could get bad.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

matt was scared. Mello hadn't said much of anything that day, and right now, he just sat there with his head in his hands. He had to cheer him up.

"today is the big day, isn't it?"

"uh huh…"

this really sucked. 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 0 seconds until the world tore apart.

"it's not so bad…I'm jelous! I don't have a date at all."

Mello finally looked up. His demeanor was frightening. His eyes were red like he had been crying, yet they were insanely angry. His mouth showed a grin that looked like he was bowser after he finally beat Mario in the most painful way possible and captuered princess peach for good. His face overall looked pink and weird.

"yeah, look at the bright side I could be you"

matt looked down. Why did he put up with this?

Matt could understand not liking linda sometimes, but she was usually okay. But mello had practicly hated her since she walked through the door. There wasn't exactly a reason behind it like there was for near, he just didn't like her. What the hell was his problem? Was the fact that he was mello's friend just…an accident?

But one thing was shure, he had a bad feeling in his stomach. Something told him today wasn't going to be fun.

Things could be bad.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

3…

2…

1!!

Mello walked into roger's office grumbling, followed by linda. May he could fake being sick, or maybe she would try that.

"mello, linda, sit down." Roger said in a cheery tone.

"what are you so god damn happy about?"

roger patted mello's head.

"watch your mouth boy…I'm happy because someone has agreed to take my place shaparoneing the dance."

Oh. They had kinda hoped he would say something like 'I've changed my mind…go wiyh who you like.'

"he's also agreed to help me keep you two delenquants in line."

Someone grabbed both their wrists from behind and handcuffed them together.

"it wouldn't be much of a punishment if you two split apart after you got there now would it?"

L.

No wonder roger was so happy, he was always nicer around L and watari.

"you've got to be kidding!"

he tugged at the handcuffs as if it would break into and he could escape.

"alright, here's the deal…one dance, and **don't pick the lock on the handcuffs!**"

mello grumbled, linda still remained silent.

As L half dragged them along to the room where the dance was being held, linda mello gave eachother looks like theyed rather be sniffing a camel's ass. Linda stuck out her tounge and at one point forgot to walk and fell to the floor.

"huh, wadda you know…it doesn't suck quite as bad as it did when I was here…" L said releasing his grip from them.

"it still sucks…" mello said, taking a mini chocolate bar from the snack table.

'we're probably stating at this table all night staying here all night' linda thought, looking at the wide assortment of chocolate in the bowl.

L left to go talk to one of his old teachers. More of an 'in your face' kind of thing, that teacher never thought he would amount to anything and that watari's opinion of him being a genius was just confusion and that L was an idot. But that teacher felt that way about everyone, she even yelled at the top of her lungs because near missed one question on a test one time. Bitch.

Linda turned her gaze from the annoying teacher and L to look at mello.

"you're gonna get diebeties, you know."

Mello looked up with a grin that said 'do you think I care? At least I'll be happy'

"I don't mind knowing that, you're right. I probably will die of it. It's better than having a heart attack and then burning, right?"

linda shrugged. What were the chances of that happening?

"at least I won't die a stupid bitch linda."

Linda growled and turned away.

"fick dich!"

mello stood there. At least he figured what she said out.God, the german language was just like English. He grabbed her and turned her to face him.

"wanna try that again?"

"wenn ich du ware, ich wurde verpiss dich!"

mello had no idea what that meant, but if his estimate was correct, she had used the last word from her first sentence.

"why don't you just go die, you stupid gay-ass bitch!"

linda's eyes started to well with tears.

"you know…I really hope you **do **die, bitch!"

that did it. She upped her tone from loud to yelling.

"**yeah? Well you and everyone else too! Have you ever been buried alive, mello? What about burned at a post like some kind of witch? Do you know what it's like to be hated by every one in an entire village?"**

she slapped him across the face.

"we're getting these damn things taken off!"

she dragged him out in the hall ignoring the looks some people were giving them. They had made it half way to roger's office when mello finally started protesting.

"what the hell is wrong with you?"

"shut up!"

she tugged at her half of the handcuffs attempting to make him move.

"oh hell no"

he tugged a bit harder than she had.

"come…on!"

she tugged at her half and mello was knocked off his feet, falling over on to linda. She began falling over as well and closed her eye preparing for impact. As her body hit the floor under mello's, she felt something soft and warm touch her lips. Her eyes snapped oen to see them on the floor kissing.

Linda pushed melo away.

"what the hell, mello?!"

"I-I didn't mean too…" mello said blushing

linda pounced on mello ready to beat him senseless wile he beat her in the head. She felt someone pulling her back from mello as she saw mello being pulled back as well.

She turned to see a calm watari holding her back from mello , staring at L as if they both had the plague.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

**An.**

**I really put a lot of thought into this chapter. I'm german and I know the german language fairly well, but I was born in America. I felt linda needs to say more in german since that's whwre she's from. I'm glad I didn't give her a german accent, though, I think it sounds gross.**

**Fick dich fuck you**

**Wenn ich du ware, ich wurde verpiss dich if I were you, id fuck off**

**Please reveiw!**


	5. reaper

**AN.**

**yesss! I'm so happy. I'm not using microsoft anymore!**

**Anyway, anyway, i'd like to inform you guys that due to school, I might not be updating as fast as I could during the summer. (I can't exactly get on the computer much anyway). **

**Now I want to tell you guys something. This is cool. So i'm at the second football game of the school year (and we were winning which never happens). So, I go up to my friend amanda and gave her a hug and this really _really _cute emo guy says "well can't _I _have a hug?" and he made this pouty face. So I give him a hug like he asked and he says "oh, yeah, baby!" in that austin powers voice. but I was too melted in his arms to care. Then (even though he didn't ask for a hug from her) I push my friend stephanie(the one who's like deidara, senpai) into him, because she had been eyeing him the whole game. And he's like "woah" because I, being as stupid as I am, thought stephanie would catch her balance. Unfortunatly, stephanie can get rather...nervous. Instead of catching her balance she just fell into him, and when they were hugging, she made this face like a baby who thinks they're gonna fall. She pulled away early, dragging me to the dounut stand and I was expecting her to hit me but instead she says "you're...a genius". Yes, she was still in shock.**

**Anyway, enjoy the new chapter! By the way anna will sound like aunna.**

"aww...she's so cute!"

The lady examined linda's bright green eyes and uniquely shaded auburn hair.

"anna, she's precious! I wish **I **had a cute little baby girl."

linda's mother glared down at the small child, half in fear, half in anger and discrace.

"that...that...**thing **is not a child. It's a **monster.!"**

She dragged her friend over into the next room. Her friend was simply admireing the craftmanship of the elegant baige walls and the beautiful tiles on the floor, blue as the ocean.

Anna, linda's mother, turned her friend to face her.

"that thing in there is a **demon**! Let me ask you something, elise. how old is that...child, so you call it?!"

"**she **is two, isn't she?"

anna sighed and took the holy bible down from the walnut wood bookshelf. She hesitantly walked over to her own child, stopping a few long feet away.

"L-Lyza? Sweety...g-good morning."

her friend rolled her eyes. Like a two-year-old child understood.

"good morning, mother!"

linda smiled a smile that was so adorable, your eyes could burn. But, the woman admiring her didn't admire it after hearing **that**! It wasn't abnormal for a child to be speaking a slured version of their language at two. But her german was phenominal! She knew adults who didn't speak that well pronunciated!

Linda's mother slowly extendend the bible infront of linda.

"Sweety...sweetheart...w-would you like to read a little for mommy?"

linda smiled and delicatly took the book from her mother. She flipped it open to the first page she would need to read. Elise watched in amazement. Could a two-year-old-child read? She cirtainly knew how to open the book.

Linda began reading it. Every word perfect. She understood the meaning of each one as well.

Elise has had enough. She screams in pure terror and runs away. Everyone will know now.

For the next few years linda will be pelted with rock burned at a stke, burried alive thrown into a lake and more.

After being thrown in the lake at age 6 , she'd had enough. She lay there, on the edge of the lake, bairly alive. Through her blured and fading vision she saw an old man an a strange looking man with scraggly black hair, who she was sure, was the reaper.

"linda, **linda!** Wake up woman."

linda's eyes shot open. She had been crying in her sleep. She could tell that much. She looked over to see mello standing on the ladder that lead up to her bunk.

"you were crying and screaming and yelping and **I' m **tired and **I **wanna go to sleep!"

linda's eyes teared up and she began crying again. Mello stood there in shock.

"L-Linda...sorry I didn't mean..."

he climbed up into the bed with her and hugged her.

'even enemies can be friends if they want to' he remembered L himself saying to him once. 'the only problem is that enemies **don't** want to.'

he looked down at linda, who was half asleep. she could bairly hear or feel anything.

"linda, let's not fight anymore, okay."

before he could stop himself and know what he was doing, he kissed her lightly on the lips and said

"i'm sorry, linda"

she was almost asleep when she brought her arms up to embrace mello and softly muttered something that mello took as a sorry and fell asleep before removing herself from him.

He wouldn't be moving that night. That was fine with him.

She heard giggles. Some gasps. A few busts of laughter.

Linda lifted her eyelid to see a group of people standing around their door way. A few little kids giggled and blushed. one or two older kids were there, one of them laughing like a maniac. About four of her teachers, mouths open and eyes wide.

'what?' linda thought to herself.

She attempted to raise up finding something was wrapped around her entire body. She moved herself around to take a look. Mello was wrapped around her like a blanket, his head resting against hers. She now remembered the events of the previous night.

Everything.

She blushed madly and nudged mello to wake up.

He nuzzled his face into her hair and inhaled deeply. He removed himself from her body and exhaled deeply while sitting up slowly. He rubbed his eyes and opened them slowly. Seeing all those people staring, he remembered yeserdat. A hot wave of fear shot up from his toes, leaving him in a cold sweat.

The fear soon followed by anger. He jumped over the stainless steel railings of linda's bed and shot toward the door and shoved them all out of the door, then slamming it roughly. He looked up at linda blushing madly. Then he heard a squeek come from nears bed. He sat there looking with wide eyes back and forth from linda to mello.

"you will not tell a soul, rat, ya got it?" mello said angrily.

"i wont. But all those other people might."

"**oh my god!"**

he ripped open the door and shot out after them shouting threats at the small children to get out of the way or else this, that and the other thing.

Linda climed down tiredly and opened her drower taking out her usually colorful clothes. Putting random mixes together, she began taking off her clothes, not caring near was there. She would feel more uncomfortable if she changed infront of one of matt's chewed up pencils.

Near was like a rock sometimes.

She knew he watched her change but never really sensed it.

"linda?"

she turned putting her pants on.

"yes near..**GAH**!" she answered tripping over her left pant leg.

"do you really not have any shoes or sock or...stuff?"

she looked down.

"i really don't...I...-"

just then, matt came in noticin linda without a shirt. She yelped and dove into mello's bed trying to hid herself.

"O-Oh my god linda..sorry!" he said in a panicky shaky ton while trying to coer his eyes.

"I-I'll j-just be...going now!"

he turned, not taking his hands off his eyes and smashed into to wall. He fell down and scuttled on his hands an knees to the door.

**AN.**

**ugh...my one hand hurts.**

**Anyway, I hope you liked that one I know it was to short but I think sinse i'm running out of ideas i'l try and wrap this up and get to the sequal, because there's more going on in it and if I can't think of stuff to do here anyway...well...**

**hope you liked it! Please reveiw!**


	6. wonderful

**Okay, remember the sexy guy who hugged me at the football game? Well me and stephanie were sitting at lunch and she just blurts out**

"**he's so smexy!!" and I lauged and said that she'd have to share and she says**

"**oh please, he asked YOU for the hug! He was obviously hitting on you not me. But I tell you what. You can have the real one if I get a picture!"**

**it was really funny!**

**Oh yes, down to buisiness. So I honestly think we only have two chapters to go before the sequal and I still haven't come up with a name!!**

**anyway, just gotta think about it more. Enjoy my newest chapter!!**

**--**

linda lay in silence in her little room with three boy wondering why they had to go to bed early just because of christmas eve.

It cirtainly **was **nice the way they had eaten turkey and stuffing and gravy and green beans and mashed potatos and rolls and...well...pretty much every thing you could think of...for dinner on a red table cloth.

It was nice how L would sit in the living room and watch the children trying to make wammy's a more cheerful place with lots of tinsel and ribbon...and a tree for some reason...as he played chess with whoever dared try and beat him.

It was nice how instead of the cool, calm near he usually is, he was happy and playful...even kinda hyper.

It was nice how roger was in such a good mood. Him strolling through the halls cheerfully whistling an unfermliar tune, patting the playing children on the heads as he passed them.

It was nice how for this cirtain time of year, mello and near would never fight. mello would help near carfully climb the tree to put a colorful speare on a hook onto one of it's soft green branches. Or how near would hold nails and oversized socks as mello nailed them to the fireplace mantle.

It was nice how Matt wouldn't stay in his room playing video games, either. He would fold his gameboy and shove it into his pocket as he trudged happily down the stairs. Matt always trudged when he finished playing video games.

And even thogh linda didn't really know what people were doing, every one thought it was nice that linda wasn't so violent.

--

linda sat up in bed after hearing a thud on the floor. She must have dosed off.

"what was that" she said a bit drowsily.

She looked at the big fat guy in red that stared up at her from the quilt. He kinda freaked her out. Matt had a picture of a dancing snow man and asked to trade. She would had wet herself if she had **that!**

She heard someone small climbing up the ladder to her bed. Maybe near had a bad dream. He always climbed up here when he did. 'For comfort' she had finally decided.

"come on up, near." she said as she layed back down and turned the opposite directoin.

The person didn't respond. Instead, she felt the person climb into the bed with her. It must have been near. No reasponse.

She felt the person coming closer to her in the bed.

"near, please try and stay on the left side of the bed, please"

"what?" she heard a very sleepy near answer from his bunk across the room.

A wave of hot fear engulfed her and she spun around to find mello in her bed again.

"mello?"

mello shook his head letting her know it was him and lookrd over to see if near was asleep, then turned back to her.

"I...umm...forgot to get you a cristmas presant, linda."

linda turned to face him, her eyes still adjusting to the darkness.

"that's okay, your present wasn't all that great, but at least I know you will like it."

mello stayed still for fear that if he moved, their lips would meet.

"umm...the light from matt's night light makes you look really pretty, linda."

"why, thank you"

mello just stared.

"can I make it up to you?

"oh no, you don't have..."

he was silenced by a piar of lips on her cheek. Mello pulled backand blushed. The sensation was overwelming for linda which triggered her to giggle.

Even though mello was beyond that, outgrowing giggles and blushing, something about her giggling and blushing just made him do it too.

Linda yawned and layed down slowly drifting into a deep sleep.

Mello sat down at the end of linda's bed to make sure she got to sleep okay.

--

"linda, wake up!"

lina slowly opened her eyes to a blurred vision of near sitting on her cheast with alook of pure exitement and wonder on his face.

"linda, **please** hurry up! Everyone else is downstairs opening presents!!"

she felt his light body practically leap off of her and scuttle quickly down the ladder.

She jumped down over the rails of her bed making a light thud as she impacted with the wooden floor.

She grabbed the wrist of near and yanked him through the doo and down the hall.

"what's it like, near? Everyone talks about it. How great it is. How it gives you a warm feeling in your tummy and you get sweets and preasants and..."

near sped up his pace so he was now dragging her along the hall.

"it's wonderful! Santa comes and brings you toys and the people you know give you toys and it's all because this guy jesus was born. It's like a bigger better birthday for everyone on earth!"

"in the bible, it said that three wise men followed the north star to the barn where jesus was born to bring him gifts and that's why we give presants. Not just because he was born."

near just looked at her still smiling and dragging her along as if he had completely ignored her.

They hurried down a flight of stairs and looked down on the wonder before them.

All of wammy's was down sitting on the floor people opening toys and playing with them and people opening clothes, saying thank you and setting it aside.

They looked around for mello and matt. Once they were found, linda and near rushed down the stairs to meet up with their friends.

"we got your stockings down but you guys have to find your own presants" matt said shaking his wrapped gift as if doing so would help him descover which video game he had gotten.

"what's a stocking?"

near flopped to the floor and grabbed a very large and very swollen purple sock that was propped against the couch they were all sitting by.

"this is a stocking" he said pointing at the word 'linda' written in glitter at the top of the large sock. "it's a lot bigger than a sok, but it suits the same perpouse. And it's filled with candy."

near scuttled away to go get their presants while linda devoured some of her candy.

Near came back with two presants for each of them. Matt and mello already opened theirs. Linda wathed as near carefully opened his gift.

--

**thanks and remember to review because i've had a lot of hits and only 16 reveiws. That's really bad!**


	7. smiles to a brighter tomarrow

**Hello loyal readers and new friends. I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that this is the last chapter of this story. The good news is that the first chapter of my sequel for this is almost done.**

**I'd like to thank you guys for everything you guys have done like reviews, PM's and of course just reading.**

**Now I know I said there would be two more chapters, but things didn't quite turn out that way, so enjoy my final chapter.**

**Berry-Chan**

**--------------------------------------------**

The children ran about outside shouting and loudly playing games.

Mello kicked a soccer ball at tom's big fat head. That's what he got for saying Matt was a pansy.

"that hurt, mello!!" tom shouted, rubbing his throbbing head.

"ha ha!" mello loved this. Tom would never do anything about it. He was just a whiny little brat with no self esteem and besides...he was scared of him. What could he do?

----------------------------------------------

near twiddled th pieces of the new jigsaw puzzle he had gotten from L for Christmas. L promised he'd catch Kira. Near didn't want to doubt L's words but something about that Kira made him wonder...could L really do this?

Near put a solid white puzzle piece instantly into it's place and resumed twirling a piece of hair on his head. He hadn't even noticed he'd stopped.

He didn't know if he was ready to take L's place. Honestly, he couldn't help but be scared. Not only would him, a thirteen-year-old boy, be taking the place of the world's greatest detective, but he would no longer be with Linda, or mello, or Matt, or...anyone.

"near?"

he didn't look up. He didn't have to. He had that voice memorized.

She would be wearing what near himself had gotten her for Christmas. A neon orange hoodie. Her favorite color. And of course, he couldn't let her go bare foot. He bought her some orange chucks to match.

"why don't you come outside and play for once?" Linda said in a concerned tone. He wasn't himself lately...

"no thank you."

she was about to protest when a boy who wanted to play soccer with her spoke up.

"forget him, Linda."

she didn't want to listen to that guy. He drove her nuts! But something in near's tone told her he was thinking hard about one thing or another. It was best to leave him alone and just go play soccer with mello. Besides, he hated this guy as much as she did. It would be fun to watch him go to the nurse with a bloody nose.

Near placed another piece of his puzzle in it's place. He defiantly had some things to think about.

20 days later....

roger looked down at the time.

3...

2...

1...

BEEP!

Roger sighed and pulled out his cell phone. On que the phone flashed a message he had hoped never to receive.

L is dead.

He sat his phone down on his desk and stood up. He had to find mello and near. No need to tell Linda and Matt just yet. His only worry at this point was mello's reaction to this whole issue.

He headed down the halls of wammy's spotting the nanny in charge of mello's class group coming inside from recess. He walked as slowly as he could to their group of playing children.

"oh. Mr. Roger." she said with two young girls clung to her waist.

Roger walked past her and took hold of mello's arm.

"mello."

"huh?"

All mello could think at this point was...'how did that brat tom snitch so fast? I swear he never even left the playground'

mello struggled slightly while being pulled backward towards the room near always played in.

'maybe I am ready. Maybe I could be L.' near thought to himself.

"and near. Come to my room."

he looked up with an undetected glance of fear in his eyes. He'd never been there before...

once everything was settled, mello noticed how roger was sitting. One hand over the other. It either meant he was furious or dead serious.

"what is it, roger?" mello asked a little frighted. It was obvious he wasn't angry about anything.

He said nothing. He looked as if he were about to cry.

"L is dead.

Near stopped dead in his tracks.

------------------------------------------------

near stood at the graves of mello and Matt. They were so brave.

Near often felt guilty because thought that mello should have been chosen as L. he risked his life not only 2 save near, but to capture Kira. Isn't that what being L was about? Near may have had the calm part down, but he could have never had the action. He didn't even leave the SPK headquarters until he was positively sure he was safe. Before that, he made everyone else take the risk. Mello's life was on the line every second he was trying to stop Kira.

Mello knew he was probably going to die. The message mello had sent still fresh in his mind

"_near:_

_If you are receiving this message, it means that either me, or Matt, but most likely both will die._"

how bold.

"Y_ou probably know as well as I do that we need to catch Kira at all costs. This message was only to be sent out under the circumstances me or Matt believed we would die. I can't guarantee one of us will defiantly die, but I can guarantee we might. My only regret about leaving this world is _"

"near?"

near turned to see a saddened face. A female who looked so familiar. Almost like...

"Linda?

The girl walked forward, examining near's face.

"u defiantly....don't look like a little boy anymore."

she looked him over once more.

"and thank god you didn't stay five feet tall."

she sniffed a bit. It was completely obvious she had been crying. Near stared into that tear stained face and the red puffy eyes.....of his old best friend, Linda. No doubt.

He looked her over. She was much more ....mature. Her auburn hair put up in a clip, not a hair out of place. It was fairly obvious her favorite color was still orange. And orange turtle neck tank top and blue jeans. She wore orange converse still, but obviously not the same ones near had given her so many years ago.

"you don't look like yourself, Linda."

"i...I'm an artist now.....I'm trying to dress accordingly."

it was obvious she didn't like how he life was going.

"so how's that working out for you?" deep down, he knew the answer.

"well....they love my art. It's not until they look at me that they start disliking it. They always say I'm too young. And frankly, when I first started, they shunned me because my clothes were immature."

Linda looked down as if examining her full attire. She had a look of hidden disgust and discomfort. Then she looked at near and tried to force a smile.

"so I guess roger was right. He only put up with it because it was all I had to wear."

her job wasn't going well. Her life was a mess. Near looked up at a clouded sky.

"Linda. Would you like to come work for me?"

"what?"

"Linda, you hate your life and you'll be so much happier. Sure, you'll have to deal with roger but..." he needed to get to the point. "i can't do it like this. I need help."

"of course!" Linda said as she flung herself into her best friend's arms.

**CRACK!**

It started pouring rain. As if on que, Roger's limo rolled up. The two of them got in, soakeed from head to toe in rain.

"hello, L, did u have a nice stay at the...." roger looked up noticing an extra passenger in the limo.

"miss Linda? is that you? Oh, but you're probably not a miss anymore, are you?"

Linda looked down at her feet sadly a twirled around her finger...something near hadn't noticed before. An silver ring that was on a black string around her neck. It obviously wasn't a wedding band...an engagement ring!

Roger noticed her expression and the ring.

"he must have been a very lucky man to have you Linda. who was he?"

she looked up then down and paused for a second.

"miheal keehl."

------------------------------------------

**ahh, I'm finally done. Yes I am kinda leaving you all with a cliff hanger, but there isn't much interpreting that needs to be done between this one and the sequel.**

**Also, if anyone has any suggestions for the next story or something you would like to see in it, feel free to PM me about it, and I'll probably put it in.**

**I hope you enjoyed my chapter and my story, I hope to have the sequel out soon.**

**Please review!!! **


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